Melting pot or tossed salad? The U.S. criminal justice system may prove to be fueling intolerance rather than enabling society to accommodate racial and ethnic differences. Dr. Williams, a university lecturer in Criminology, offers a scholarly examination of race, ethnicity and the relationship between definitions and criminalization. She raises the challenging question whether it is, in fact, intolerance that leads to racism.

About the Author

Dr. Williams is an Assistant Lecturer at North Carolina A&T State University. Her research concentrates on: Minority issues in Criminal Justice, Capital Punishment, and Media Influence in Criminal Justice. She is a Certified Social & Behavioral Research Investigator and a Certified Criminal Justice Specialist.

Most recently, Dr. Williams’ piece entitled “The Increasing Influence of Islamic Fundamentalists on the African-American Community” was included in a compilation of work entitled Ethics of Terrorism: Innovative Approaches from an International Perspective, edited by Dr Thomas Albert Gilly and Dr Yakov Giliskiy in association with Dr Vladimir Sergevnin.

Dr. Williams is a member of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences, American Society of Criminologists, National Association of Forensic Counselors and Society for the Study of Social Problems.

About the Book

In addition to information on crime and incarceration rates, White-collar crime, and the “typical criminal,” the discussion of minorities and public perceptions is set within a broader context including the issues of terrorism and human...

In addition to information on crime and incarceration rates, White-collar crime, and the “typical criminal,” the discussion of minorities and public perceptions is set within a broader context including the issues of terrorism and human trafficking, where race and ethnicity are also vital to public perceptions.

The manual is designed for junior colleges and four year colleges, including those offering distance-learning courses. It is a thought-provoking combination of facts and questions. The pedagogical focus is on collaborative, problem-based learning, with foundational support for the development of critical thinking and analytical skills. Each Chapter includes vignettes featuring the opinions of experts in the field relative to the Chapter being covered. They are classic pedagogical tools that link theory with practice – a good balance between theory and the real world.

The simple, straightforward approach allows instructors to personalize their coverage of the material, and the text uses extremely effective pedagogical approaches The Case Study/Critical Thinking issues-and-questions approach at the beginning of each chapter is another important feature that focuses on developing students’ soft skills. The objectives are clearly listed at the beginning of each chapter.

Chapter Resources and Key Terms are listed at the end of each chapter. The Controversy sections included in each chapter target analytical and critical skill development in students, not to mention application of a current issue, as does the ‘In the news’ section which, while making reference and applying theory to current issues, forces students to apply theory, and critically analyze issues.

The author attempts, as much as possible, to rely on facts and figures here (deductive logic) rather than on sentiment. Since the ultimate goal is to encourage student to critique, analyze and formulate their own opinion, as much effort as was feasible possible was put into presenting both sides of each argument.